Parallel to the Moon
by GreenWallsOfArt
Summary: Chloe Dewey's story of finding herself, as a young woman just beginning a new life, finding magic, love, and friendship over time.
1. The Only One

Here it is.

My most prized possession, since childhood.

The old titles on the old, wooden bookshelf slide beneath my spindly fingers. Most of them have faded with age, while some are still new- like they have spent but a few days on the shelf. Most have spines three inches thick, and others, a little on the lighter side, creating a mural with the colors of their covers, and the intricate script of their titles.

"You must really love books, don't you, Grandma?" a girl's voice says behind me.

I turn around to see a small girl's face peering at me. Just going on eight years old, she is lying in bed, her eyes sparkling green when she lays eyes on me. I smile at her. For more than an instant, I can see my face reflected in hers, framed by a head of strawberry curls.

"Yes," I answer, turning back to the shelf. "Yes, I really do. And it's only a matter of time before you will too." I don't say so, but there is deep faith imbedded in my words. The slippery scratch of the spines is a magical feeling, making me feel like a five-year-old child who is lost in the rotunda of a great library for the first time, again.

"You think I'll ever read as many as you have?" she asks me, in a tiny and timid voice.

This isn't a hard question to consider. "Oh, I believe you will," I reply. Making like an inchworm, I turn away from the bookshelf, and sit down on the foot of the bed. I sink into the soft, down mattress, and a low creak makes its way out from underneath. It goes unacknowledged, while the girl leans forward.

"How did you get so many of those books?" she asks, a curious smile creeping across her lips.

"Well, that's a long story," I say, a little unsure. "You know what; I think it'd be better if you went to sleep. I don't think your mom would want you staying up too late."

She looks at me with imploring emerald eyes- a look that I can't ever resist. "Please, Grandma," she pleas. "I want to hear."

As many people know, it's not really easy to win over a curious child. The look in her eyes brings me to the light switch by the bedroom door. My finger traces downward on the switch, and the room grows dim, until it's like twilight. Now in the limited light, she looks like a little cherub beneath the tulle canopy of her bed. She wriggles out of her sheets, placing herself differently against the pillows, as moonlight starts to creep through the blinded window.

Without even uttering a word, I'm already being driven back to the days of so long ago. I can remember it all now as if it happened only moments ago. When I grew up, and left my home for four more years of school, in college. When I was a young woman, struggling to leave my mark on a world that couldn't quite find me. While I kept secrets of my years as a child with imagination, hoping for someone I could confide in after so many years. The life of a woman, whose name was Chloe Dewey.


	2. Parallel to the Moon

I'd spent all my life in the little town of Shady Creek, a lonely suburb in the midst of a vast Midwestern countryside. To a complete newcomer with half a brain, it might sound like a peaceful town where everything was quiet and tranquil, where normality was the norm, and every house looked like the one next to it. Well, to be honest, they couldn't be more correct. And yet, they couldn't be more wrong.

From my bedroom window, I watched the world change. The rainbow tricycles became big-shot, daddy-bought cars. The RC's were cell phone video games—bought on sale if you were lucky enough. And the ding-dong ditchers ditched their games for activities that, let's just say, shouldn't be mentioned.

It was much like the progression from day to night. In the morning, everyone spent hours digging out their toys after a hearty breakfast, excited about starting their day, even if there wasn't a ray of sunshine to be seen. Come afternoon, there would be adequate laughter, with popsicle stands, and games whizzing through the streets. At sunset, everyone was waiting to catch the final rays of daylight, before dinner and homework came around, and stole them away for the rest of the time. After dark, the streets were dead. No laughter, so screams of delight, and absolutely no hearty games. Imagination was blown out like a birthday candle. At least, until the next set of kids came out the next day to continue in their childish ordeals.

The sad thing was, that in the last few years, I was watching the world of laughter and rainy-day activity, become the today that was yesterday's future. Of course, usual, everyday lives remained, in which the children went to school, and the parents worked around the clock. But because we were moving into a new millennium, with new technological advances to fit the new century, television shows, radio programs, and many new gadgets were coming out every month—working their way into everyone's lives. But most of all, computers were growing faster than ever before—to where they were faster than looking something up in an encyclopedia, dictionary, almanac, or anything else you could find. In the year 1998, when I was fourteen, computer games and the Internet were like finding the Holy Grail, so it was hard not to get sucked into the craze of everything. I thought of it like a whole new adventure, that could be worthy of a good story in a book. Perhaps it would be exciting, seeing a whole new world to observe, as I liked.

Only when word started coming around, about audio books and computers replacing books in the media, did I begin to think otherwise.

And here I was, five years later, sitting in my own little college dorm, watching the world go by—the world that was slowly forgetting the feeling of picking up a book.

One afternoon, I sat in the library on the campus. It was an enormous, wide open place, with ceiling-high windows that faced Lake Michigan, capturing a perfect view of the sunset while it splashed color across the grey-blue waters. I hunched myself in a desk chair, leaning over a laptop, typing a novel. Creating novels was a newer pastime of mine. It was another step in keeping my mind off how quickly the world was changing, and held my brain in an active state, reeling with images that only the written word itself could conjure. By the light of the sun, wizards cast spells, forbidden lovers eloped, young children grew up in wild and crazy worlds, and tragic heroes got their vengeance, absolutely swept away in a world all my own.

Oh, how much I adored books. It was a fiery passion that fueled me beyond anything else. And because I read so much, I was capable of answering the difficult questions in lots of my classes; all thanks to the endless knowledge I had been given. I was honor roll, the object of substantial scholarship offers from colleges all across the country. And believe me, I was excited. I'd been thinking about college for a long time, wondering where I would end up, though I never thought that day would come so quickly.

In the meantime, school life was bearable enough. Most kids liked me well enough, and treated me like everyone else in the class. But even though I was smart, I was a shy little thing. I didn't speak very much, unless prompted to do so by a teacher or another student. Though treated me with respect—in the presence of a schoolteacher, anyway—there were still those who thought of me as somewhat different. A cruel classmate of mine from childhood even told me once, "Face it, Chloe. You aren't like the rest of us. You're, you're—you're just like the moon. The moon in a sea of stars."

I was flattered, and yet, I was struck dumb by such a statement. That seemed a precocious thing to say, though I found I didn't really like the way it applied to me. Was I really so utterly different from everyone else, simply because I loved books?

I didn't like to dive too deep into something like that. I mean, I knew I was uniquely different, but the way that girl said it, she made it sound like I wasn't human. Like some creature that popped out of nowhere that fascinated people for a time, but then grew weary of, once the excitement grew boring.

But not too later, after I had turned nineteen, and I was well into my freshman year of college, I decided I was going to need so much more than just sitting, simply reading and typing stories.

So, I piled a few extra savings out of my pocket, and headed into a risky adventure around the little town where I now went to school. I had been eager before to leave Shady Creek, but now that I had seen something wholly new, I was hungry for more. The opportunities for adventure were numerous, and despite that I was scared, I didn't really care to act afraid. I was on my own, and only I could make magic for myself.

Besides, if those daring individuals in those stories could take risks, why couldn't I?

For an hour or so, I sat on a hard, plastic chair on the bus. Through the sheen of morning fog on the window, I still saw many of the same things I viewed from my dorm window- tall groves of trees stretching down many a street; high, rolling hills—their summits reaching far enough that they could kiss the sky, and giant birds flying with their great wings sweeping the heavens.

All at once, the loud sound of an announcement over the intercom shattered my reverie. I glanced outside at the station. And then, taking a deep, anxious breath, I stood up to get off the bus.

On the bottom step, I was faced with a big sign beside the station door. _Welcome to Lowell Falls_,it said.

At long last!

A smile on my face, I began to walk further into town. Apartment buildings, stores, and houses occupied every spot on the streets, cars zooming past them like flies. The long rows of buildings seemed as good a place as any to begin my search for somewhere to go first, so I simply headed down the street, pedestrians walking to and fro on the sidewalk, with umbrellas over their heads for the early morning mist.

On occasion, I glimpsed behind me to see how far I had gone. When I noticed that the station was far behind me, I turned on my heel with fresh excitement, and stepped further into the unknown dwelling, known as Lowell Falls.


	3. Celeste

For a long time, I ambled across the sidewalks, swinging my messenger back to and fro from my shoulder. It wasn't too unpleasant a day, despite the fog, and the mist that drifted from the sky. I didn't concern myself so much with the weather, in any case. This adventure was too grand to ignore, because it was the first time I had ever been alone in an unknown city. Lowell Falls was not much different from Shady Creek, I soon found, but there was an exception to that. No one here knew me, which gave me an advantage. I could swing by, humming something under my breath, and people could just pass it off as a silly whim. No one could shun me, or think me strange right away.

So, I was excited to see the city before I had to stop anywhere. I had my jacket hood up to protect me from the fog, and my excitement to drive me forth. At this rate, there was nothing to stop me from walking until I had to drop down.

But of course, day soon had to become dusk. And the streets, once teeming with people, grew quieter and quieter as time passed into night. Finally, there were only five to ten people who passed me. The rain still continued to fall, and the wind drove me on as the lamps of the pubs and apartments started to flick on.

The mist turned to rain the darker it got. I didn't mind it so much, at first. Although, the rain soon pattered enough on me that I had to duck under the awning of the building nearest me. I pressed myself against the wall, trying to inch out of the rain. The sounds of laughter, clicking of billiards balls, and sports announcers on a television crept through the green wooden door, but I wasn't quite interested in that.

The longer I stood there, the more I learned how achy my legs were from the walking. Right above my head, there was a bright lantern, and being out of the rain was pleasantly warming now, after walking in the cold mist all day. So I just pushed my hood behind my head, let my bag drop to the ground, and stood there while my body relaxed.

I leaned my head on the wall, contemplating everything I had come across. But while I did so, the aching in my legs must have caught up to me, so I closed my eyes, and took long breaths in the meantime. It was pretty pleasant to listen to the rain splatter on the awning, and centimeter by centimeter, my shoulders dropped, and my arms slumped against my sides in a dreamy calm.

I could stay there for a really long time, if I wanted to.

My body was unexpectedly lurched back into the wall, when the door suddenly opened, causing my messenger bag to fall from my fingers altogether. On fumbling legs, I bent down to pick it up, but briefly looked up to see who had bumped me.

A woman, who looked to be about fifty years old, stumbled out, grumbling to herself. She dusted off her heavy coat before turning to face me. In the light of the lantern on the wall, her soft features shown gently, to accentuate her heart-shaped face. Chocolate-brown eyes glanced back at me, framed by a head graying blonde hair, but carried an expression of absolute concern.

"I'm so sorry, honey," she said, bending down to help. "I hope I didn't hurt you."

"No, that's all right," I replied. "I didn't see you coming out."

"Will you be all right?" she asked, holding out the handle of my bag for me.

"Oh no," I answered, with a slight chuckle. "A little bump never hurt anyone."

The woman smiled at me shortly before speaking again. "Well, I apologize once more, and, I'd better get going," she said. "It's getting late. Have a good night." With that, she began walking down the soaked sidewalk towards a car a long way down.

I was both stunned and excited at the same time. After a long quiet day, my heart was still slamming with the surprise of meeting someone. Suddenly, my mind was racing, even more so, as I watched the woman walk away into the rain. It didn't look like it was going to let up any time soon, and I didn't feel much like traveling back to campus at this time of night.

Besides, I felt strongly that there were places I hadn't seen yet. This adventure had to continue. Just, not in this weather. Not tonight.

But, I certainly wasn't going to spend the rest of the night searching for a hotel on my own, so I fast-walked up behind the woman.

"Pardon me," I began. "But do you know where the nearest hotel is?"

"Oh," she said, drawing back her head a little. "That's a long way into town, even without this rain."

My shoulders deflated, and my bag dropped to the ground with a clunk.

"But even so, it doesn't seem plausible for you to be walking there in this weather." She gestured toward her small, beige car. "There's actually a Holiday Inn fifteen minutes into town. Can I give you a ride there?"

As anxious as I was to get out of the rain, I was still hesitant to take a ride from this woman, even if she seemed like some sweet aunt on her way home, or something.

But before I could move either way, she held out her hand. "It doesn't seem that we have really met. My name is Celeste Parr. Nice to meet you," she prompted.

"Chloe Dewey," I finished, shaking her hand.

She gave a subtle nod, and half-smiled, before an awkward silence followed.

"You all right, honey?" Celeste asked me, finally noticing my thoughtful expression.

I snapped abruptly from my thoughts. "I'm fine, thanks," I said. Then, with a shiver in the cold, I straightened myself, and looked Celeste right in her eye. "You sure you can take me there?"

Celeste nodded, and said, "Yes."

With a cynical eye, I walked into the open car door, and Celeste climbed in beside me.

…

Through the rain, Celeste and I drove down the quiet, drenched streets, past quiet buildings that had been closed for the night.

Halfway through the trip, my hands wandered away from my bag handle, and at the momentum of the car, it fell down to my feet. With a bump, the contents spilled out- including the paperback I had! I scrambled to pick them up in the dark, but Celeste's careful eye was easy to spot from the corner of my sight.

"What's this?" she inquired, pointing to the book.

"Oh, that's just an old paperback," I said, trying to put it as nothing, while I pulled my bag back up to my knees.

"'_The Shining_, by Stephen King',"she read, just as the book slipped into my bag. I might have been mistaken, but her face lit up as she looked at me in the flashing glare of the streetlamps. "You like to read books too?"

"Yeah, but just not the audio books they're making these days," I answered.

"They're wonderful, aren't they?" Celeste asked. "How they can bring you into these worlds where it's your own little place of imagination."

I was taken aback by those words, as they were exactly what I'd held strongly all my life. And suddenly, I wasn't quite as skeptical of Celeste. The enthusiasm in her voice was enough to tell me she wasn't trying to kiss up to my own love of books. Our loves seemed almost equal, if not, judging by her voice, slightly outmatched.

Then, we both started talking- often at the same time- about how the both of us adored books so much. The energy in our voices was startling, so it surprised me when I realized that I was having fun talking to Celeste about it. Celeste herself was gripping the steering wheel as she spoke of what she liked to read, and how it was such fun to enjoy the adventures and knowledge she got. And all the while, I just gaped at her. She was speaking like she was talking about her first love, but there was really no guessing that she was.

Then, Celeste's face twisted into a kindly smile.

"You know," she began, "it's not every day that I come across a person who's as passionate about reading as you are. And, it's just as rare to find a newcomer in Lowell Falls. You don't have to, of course, but do you think you'd like to come and stay at my house for the night?"

"Yes…I suppose, I can," I replied after a short moment of hesitation.

She simply nodded at me, and turned the car onto another street.

The city was soon left behind, and we were in a quaint little neighborhood, with simple one-story houses lining the streets. Celeste drove into the driveway of one of them, a small brick house with a blue, shingled roof.

She led me inside, and showed me to the guest room, a cozy little nook at the back of the house's main hallway, with a double bed, and a large curtained window.

By that time, I was so tired I could have lain down on the bed, and fallen asleep right then and there. But I still had just enough left to thank Celeste for her kindness and make myself comfortable in the room.

Following Celeste's directions, I went to the bathroom, and swished some water in my mouth. Back in the bedroom, I stripped down to my undergarments, and climbed into the bed. I shivered a little, as I imagined that no one had slept in these blankets for a long time. My eyes shut against the pillow, and when I yanked the covers up to my chin, the spell of sleep was already upon me, hardly able to remember where I was, or what may happen in the morning.


	4. Breakfast with Aurora

So, that was how it got started. I was no longer deemed an outsider, but I was welcome. Well, that was, as far as Celeste was concerned. I had yet to know if she was going to keep up the hospitality for me.

I didn't dwell too much on it before I went to sleep, but I had the feeling that she was sharing this decent-sized house with more than just herself. A husband perhaps, but still definitely someone worth meeting.

So, the next morning, the sunlight came high up on the trees and rooftops beyond the backyard, rising to a beauteous occasion. It took me a moment to realize where I was, because I was so used to watching the sun come up over the lake. Now, there were tiny bunches of short grass, with long expanses of tall trees, separated from the house by a high iron fence. It took me by surprise, but nonetheless, it was lovely. I had to sit in bed a moment longer to watch the world start to come alive.

Finally I had to force myself out of the bed. When I had repositioned the sheets, I dug into my messenger bag for the extra sweater and jeans and undergarments, folding my old clothes on the dresser by the window. And then, combing my fingers through my long storm of red hair, I opened the door, and crept down the hallway.

Celeste was standing near a toaster oven in the kitchen, staring intently at two pieces of toast behind the glass door.

"Morning, Celeste," I prompted.

She turned around and smiled cheerfully. "Oh, good day, Chloe," she replied, pulling open the toaster oven door. "I assumed you'd be up soon, so I took the liberty of making some breakfast." She reached by the sink and grasped at some peanut butter and jam. "I hope you prefer white bread."

"Most definitely." I turned to sit down at the table, but stopped suddenly.

My thoughts about Celeste's house had been correct. She was sharing her house with someone else, but it was certainly not a husband of any kind.

In fact, it was someone much smaller, and purer, than a husband.

A small girl sat at the head of the short table. She looked to be about eight years old, with skin as pure as ivory, looking creamy soft, while she munched on a piece of toast. Her long golden hair fell past her shoulders like a waterfall, combed straight as sticks on her head.

She looked so charming, not to mention that she was quite pretty. Actually, she had the kind of appearance that kids slightly older than her would give their recess time—and more—for. There wasn't a freckle, or obnoxious birthmark, on her arms or face, and for some reason, I was surprised she didn't have a plastic tiara on her head.

So then I flinched a little when the girl looked up from her toast, meeting me with eyes that glittered like sapphires. She gave me a funny look, so I thought maybe I should back away from the table. But she first shied away into her chair, and didn't say anything.

"Hi," I said instead, trying not to throw myself into a quick introduction.

"Hi," she replied, in so small a voice, that I had to lean forward to see if I heard her right. She didn't look up for a long time, and when she didn't acknowledge me again, I decided maybe she didn't know who I was.

I stole a glance at Celeste, kind of shocked that she didn't tell this girl about me. I opened my mouth to ask her what kind of reasoning that was, but she came to the table first, and put down a plate of toast in front of the girl.

"I know this is sort of sudden, for both of you," she said to the girl, who glanced up at Celeste. Gently, Celeste placed her hands on the girl's shoulders. "Chloe, this is my niece, Aurora. Aurora, this is Chloe Dewey. She's a college student from Kenosha, who spent the night with us."

"It's good to meet you," I said, smiling my best.

"You too," Aurora replied, glancing up at me timidly. She held her gaze on me for a moment, and slowly, she managed to form a smile. But she soon turned her head, and craned herself towards Celeste.

"I didn't know she was here, Aunt Celeste," she whispered. "When did she get here?"

"Don't be shy, Aurora," Celeste assured her. "Chloe is a very, very nice young lady. She's a pretty avid reader too."

Aurora turned from Celeste, and eyed me with an increasingly widening look of awe. "Hey, that's just like Rich," she whispered, almost excitedly. Then she looked around the table, finally pointing to a chair next to her. "You want to sit down?" she asked.

I blinked a few times at the invitation, but didn't hesitate. I was impressed; Aurora was even more of a lady than I thought.

Now, we were all sitting down at the table, as Celeste poured us all drinks, and trimmed the crust from her toast. "Too crunchy for my liking," she explained, but Aurora just frowned crookedly at her. I laughed at the animated expression Aurora had, and Celeste joined in quickly.

It was quiet for a few moments, but Celeste had many questions to ask me, so the kitchen was never quiet. She asked me mostly to explain how I was enjoying college, and what my hobbies were. Usual small talk, but she managed to keep both me and Aurora engaged just fine.

When Celeste had finally stopped talking—as animatedly as the expressions Aurora reacted with—I sat forward, and glanced towards Aurora. "Wait, Aurora," I spoke up, "you said something about someone named Rich earlier. Who's that?"

"Rich?" Aurora said, tilting her head. "Oh, yeah, I know! He's my cousin. But, you know, it's not like you'll see him much around here. I mean, besides helping me and Aunt Celeste around the house, he's practically locked up in his room, like he's playing hide-and-seek all the time."

"Hmm," I said, nodding my head.

"Yeah. He's probably the only person in the world who can read seventeen books in one week!" Aurora held up a finger to emphasize her words, and held her eyes wide, as if even she couldn't believe such an accomplishment.

In any case, I was getting a good idea about who Aurora was talking about, though I didn't want to say for sure yet. There could only be one thing that would surely indicate who this Rich was.

Aurora moved her finger to point to me. "Actually, he has a special necklace just like that," she said.

I looked down at the golden pendant that hung down my chest. I took the bottom of the chain between my fingers, and turned it to observe the details etched into the gold. The pendant was about the size of a half-dollar, but was pretty heavy with detail of flowers and vines. Along the edges, Roman numerals were scratched in, like the outside of a clock. And in the center of the pendant, was a tiny circular window, looking like a faceless pocket watch.

A tingle shivered across my arms while I let the pendant drop back to my chest. Aurora was more correct than she thought, when she said that the pendant was special. I'd been wearing it since I was a baby, when my grandfather had given it to me, though I didn't appreciate the full magnitude of it until I was a little older.

But, Aurora had mentioned that her cousin Rich had a pendant much like mine. I couldn't fathom anyone having something so similar, but somehow, the image kept coming up in my mind as a silver pendant, rather than a gold one. And it was several sizes larger, so Aurora couldn't be right about it.

But, was she, really? The ideas she gave me were so ridden with familiarity, though I couldn't quite break through it.

"Come on, Aurora," Celeste said, pushing her chair in, and putting the dishes in the sink. "Time to catch your ride to Sunday school."

Aurora reached beside her chair, and grabbed a backpack. She raced towards Celeste, and took a dark blue coat from her hands, slinging the bag onto her shoulders. And as if on cue, a car horn honked from outside the door, and we all turned our heads at once. Aurora flung her arms quickly around Celeste, and smiled at me while she walked out of the kitchen.

"Bye, Chloe," she said, disappearing out of view.

"Goodness," Celeste muttered after she heard the door close. "Little Aurora. I love that girl like summer and books, but _when_ is she ever going to clean up her own mess?" She bent over the table, and swept a sponge across the jelly globs, and crumbs, on the table.

"She a messy little thing?" I asked, chuckling.

"The worst. She's a little flighty, but, my god, does she have a big sense of imagination," Celeste said, sighing and laughing at the same time. "Every time she plays a game with her friends, she's always the first to come up with something new." She dumped the sponge in the sink, and looked out the window at the forest beyond. "Why, just the other day, when it looked like they would all just die of boredom, she popped out of the woods with flowers and twigs tied into her hair and clothes. So, they all decided to be tree sprites. She dressed a doll up as a tree monster, and they ran and hid from it. No one came back out from those woods, for hours and hours."

Not just a sweet girl, but one of a creative mind. Why ever didn't I have a little sister like her when I was Aurora's age?

Celeste drained the water from the sink, and then leaned against the kitchen island. "But of course, she had to take a long bath to get rid of all the dirt," she sighed, turning herself around.

"We've got a long day ahead of us," Celeste said. "And since Aurora won't be in the house for a few hours, there's a lot to do to fill the void. Although, there's got to be some part of Lowell Falls you haven't seen yet. What do you think of spending the day in town? We could relax, we could go into town, whatever it is that can get the very, very best taste of the town."

"You got a big library?" I said.

Celeste smirked at me. "The greatest in the world. But, of course, that's not totally all." She pulled out a slip of paper from the drawer beside the sink, and started to write. "Picture the shopping malls, the pubs, the restaurants—everything a big town should have."

"What're you writing?" I wanted to know.

"Leaving a note for Richard," she said. "You know, letting him know what the deal is with our day."

"Richard who?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips. "Aurora told me a little about him. And, I'm telling you, he sounds like someone I may just know."

Celeste tore the note off the pad, and crossed the kitchen, slapping the paper onto the counter by a wireless telephone.

"Oh. His name's Richard Tyler," she answered. "Does that ring a bell?"


	5. A Dark Past

Thanks to the sunlight, the fog and mist of yesterday were gone. The sidewalks and awnings were still a little damp, and puddles littered the streets like the people who strode across the city walks.

Celeste was more than happy to get out of the house, even more so that we were heading out on such a pretty day. When she switched on the radio, the first thing she did was open her mouth to start singing. She let her voice ring out, tapping the steering wheel with her fingers, while she slid on her sunglasses. Despite the crooked look I gave her, listening to her singing, it was cute watching her have such a good time, when the real adventure hadn't quite begun yet.

"Can I turn it up?" Celeste asked, when a song with a fast, catchy beat started on the station.

"What are you asking me for?" I asked, shrugging. "It's your car, and you're the one having so much fun. By all means, go for it!"

Celeste grabbed the volume knob, and tapped the roof of the car to the beat of the song. I slapped my head against the seat with my laughter, not trying to fight the rhythm. I didn't sing— at least, not as loudly or wholeheartedly as Celeste—but still had a good time while we drove.

As Celeste turned the car off, she swept her hair from her forehead, slipping her sunglasses off her head. "Spring is the best time to sing in the car, I always say," she said. "But just you wait until summer, Chloe, when everyone's got their roofs down, blasting every dang station in Wisconsin."

I nodded, looking around at the street that Celeste parked on. It was a string of small-town diners and shops, with lots more people than I had seen in the part of Lowell Falls I walked on the day before. The streets were wider, with taller buildings and wider windows in the shops. Families walked past us with periods of laughter and conversation, and lots of them even carried picnic baskets and coolers. Spring really must have sprung, for even in Shady Creek, no one was out this early in spring to take picnics in the park.

But then, who said this town would always be anything like Shady Creek?

"This town is all ours, Chloe," Celeste said, pointing around the sidewalk. "Anywhere is the first place."

"God," I breathed, feeling the heaviness of my decision, although Celeste had told me anywhere was fine. Now I definitely regretted my earlier declaration that Lowell Falls was like my hometown, because I didn't know where in the world we would start.

"That's all right," Celeste said, starting down the sidewalk. "I'll show you."

…**.**

It wasn't that easy to keep up with Celeste as she pointed out each place to me, but I loved every minute of it. Celeste pinpointed everything like she was a little girl showing her parents her artwork in a classroom, bounding around perhaps as if she actually were a little girl.

Even on the way back, Celeste couldn't contain her energy. She slapped her hands on the wheel, swinging herself to the music.

"Do you even sleep?" I asked her, as we got out at her house.

"Only when I can keep my feet on planet earth," she said. "It's not like I would _try _to be a couch vegetable in any case. There's too much to do around the house."

"But it's only you," I said. "Right?"

If Celeste were a long string of Christmas lights, some of them blinked out after I asked her. She slammed the car door closed, and we walked to the front door, while she felt in her pocket for a key.

"Aurora lives with me," she said. "She's been my adopted daughter since…well, the accident that took both her parents. As you can see, it's…it's…"

"Oh, I won't press it," I said quickly.

Celeste sighed. "Thank you, Chloe," she said. "It's not something that I like to speak about, even to myself. It's hard. It was a dreadful way for Aurora to start school for the very first time, and for her to have no one unless some kind soul out there could provide her a home. Given, she's a sweet little girl, but it's hard for me to raise her without help. She has so much energy, and still has so much to learn. That's why I employed my nephew, Richard, to help me look after her."

I didn't talk for a moment. This was a lot to swallow—Celeste, who was always so happy and full of life, had a dark past that not even she could admit had happened to herself. But Aurora…what about her? Such a small girl, with no real family…and yet she…

I didn't know how to react, too. Celeste hadn't told me what exactly had happened to make Aurora her adopted daughter, so I didn't know whether to say I was sorry, or give a physical gesture of sympathy. Indeed, I felt sorry for both my new friends, but…just how could I express it to her?

"Don't feel sorry for us, Chloe," said Celeste, patting my shoulder. "I don't want you looking like that if you meet Richard."

That name sent lightning bolts through me. It made me straighten up, and I started towards the door without waiting for Celeste to open it. And so, one bruised nose and a step later, we were back inside. I could see Celeste trying to hide back a half-giggle-half-gasp as I twiddled with my nose.

But then, as I was doing so, I heard voices coming from the living room. I crossed through the hallway after dropping my bag at the stairs. One of the voices, I instantly recognized as Aurora's sweet, bubbly voice as she spoke words aloud. It sounded quite like she was reading something, and someone else was continuing where she left off. The other voice was deep and masculine, but still gentle and excited. My heart started to race, not because I was eager to greet Aurora again, but because I knew who was enjoying her company.

"Hello?" I called into the hallway, before I turned the corner.

"Aunt Celeste?" Aurora answered after a second. "Is that Chloe?"

"Yes, I'm right here," I replied.

It was quiet, before suddenly, Aurora appeared before me. Her face was bright, and her eyes shining. I didn't know if it was because of her reading so excitedly, or if she was happy to see me.

She showed me by grabbing my hand and taking me into the living room. There, out of the corner of my eye, I could spot someone else sitting on the couch—someone who wore fading jeans, and a dark maroon T-shirt, which made his curls of blonde hair stand out. And when I entered, he looked up at me with blue eyes, magnified through a pair of rounded glasses.

"Um….hi, Richard," I said.

He made a small wave in my direction. "The same to you, Chloe."


	6. The First Steps of a Journey

For several long moments, I just took in the sight of my old best friend. And suddenly, everything we had ever done together flashed before my eyes.

Truth be told, I hadn't seen Richard in over a year. He was once my best friend, but in this instant in time, he was everything to me again. And yet…I didn't know whether to rush into his arms, or say hello another time.

Neither of us moved for a long time. It was like we were just standing there to give our hearts a few moments to slow down from just getting one another in sight.

By the time I finally moved towards Richard, I noticed that both Aurora and Celeste were absent from the room. I couldn't tell right away if that was good or bad, but some part of me must have been glad to be alone, because I walked right up to Richard, and plopped down on the floor in front of him.

"You can sit up here too, you know," he told me, gesturing to the space beside him.

I shook my head, and nothing else.

Richard shrugged, starting to give me a puzzled look. "Aren't you…glad to see me, Chloe?" he asked.

Now it was my turn to shrug. Of course, I was glad to see my best friend after so long, but once more, something stopped me from grinning like an idiot at him. Although, I can't say I was too surprised at his behavior either. Richard seemed a little restrained in the way that he didn't scoop me up and squeeze the life out of me.

But I was the guest in what was technically his home, so instead I gave him a demure smile. "How have you been, Richard?" I asked.

He leaned back a little in the couch, but still far enough to see me over his knees. "Keeping up with my Aunt Celeste?" he started. "Well, I guess that's been easy. Keeping up with Aurora? That's a whole other story, I can say for sure."

I chuckled, imagining Richard trying to run after Aurora when she was in the middle of playing pretend. From what Celeste had informed me, it would be a workout in itself just trying to keep her to sit still. "I wish I could've seen her reading with you," I said.

"Hearing her is enough," Richard said. "She kind of reminds me of someone you would have been when you were her age."

"I think she _is _me," I replied, only realizing how true the words were as I said them. I could suddenly see myself as a young strawberry-haired girl, reveling in her imagination, as much as young golden-haired Aurora seemed to revel in stories and the possibilities of the future. In some ways, I supposed she was the sister I never had. But then again, Richard was lucky to have her, for the times when I hadn't been around, which had been a very, very long time.

Richard nodded. "What about you, Chloe? How have you been…?"

I immediately recognized the tone of his voice trailing off. He was about to end his sentence with _since the last time I talked to you, or saw you? _Part of me was glad that Richard might be feeling the same awkwardness as I was, but another part of me was starting to boil a little. He and I both knew how long it had been since we made contact. Why…why wasn't he saying anything about it?

"Honestly," I began instead, straightening myself. "I've missed you."

Richard blinked a few times before he met my eyes full on again. He was quiet for a time, before he half-smiled. "You know…in case you didn't figure it out…I missed you too," he said, though a little timidly. "But I thought…I thought that, considering how long it's been since we last chatted, that maybe you'd forgotten about me in your studying or…something…like that." He laughed a little, leaning back in the couch.

"I did, just…not recently…" I let my voice trail off.

Richard stopped laughing, and repositioned himself so that he was just inches from my face. "You…_did_?" he asked. "Okay, now I'm confused. I mean, Chloe, we haven't made contact in over a year. I want to know just….what's wrong? What happened?"

"Nothing," I said. So wrong. Everything just felt wrong about this, and it tore at me inside. This boy had been my best friend since I was a young girl—the brother that I never had. And I didn't want my visit here in Lowell Falls to be tainted by my feelings, especially by anything sour toward Richard.

Besides, we shared a secret. It was a magical secret that no one but the two of us would ever keep. That was part of why my golden pendant was so special to me—it countered a silver compass that Richard had, which he kept on him at all times. With those two instruments, we could make our secret come to life, but it obviously wasn't something we did now. As much as I craved doing it again, I wondered what it would be like now that we were suddenly together again.

I pondered to myself, if I could ever feel what I did for Richard again. Our past was darkened by something that I didn't like to remember at all, and it had found me here.

…

As evening fell, it was nothing but fun and conversation at the dinner table, and then in the den we gathered to play games, laughing till our stomachs hurt. Aurora slapped her cards down on the table so hard that our arms all rattled, and she giggled at Celeste's face when Aurora was so hard on the table. It was sweet. Sometimes, Aurora would giggle so that she fell against my shoulder. And when I got a good draw, she would pat me on the back, though she always swore to me she would get a better card. With each moment, I found myself liking her more and more. It had been a long time also since I had played any game with any child, much less a child like Aurora.

Her enthusiasm, and Celeste's jovial nature, made me forget the turmoil that was now storming inside of me. But it was only stirred again later, when I realized that tomorrow was the day I would go back to Kenosha. I didn't have to, but I felt it would be a good idea not to overstay my welcome.

That was, until Aurora found out, and she stopped me in the doorway on the way to the guest room.

"You're not going to leave soon, are you, Chloe?" she asked.

I knew what I had to say, and yet I found I couldn't say it to Aurora. I still had some time before school would start again, but I didn't know if I could stay for much longer, and face Richard after what had happened between us. Still, the longer Aurora and I looked at each other, the less I wanted to picture her disappointed face if I told her I was leaving. So, I walked into my room, with a shake of my head. "But just feel free to throw me out whenever you like."

"I don't think we'd ever do that," Aurora said through giggles. I smiled down at her and patted her on the back. She hugged my arm, before she trotted off down the hall, her golden hair bouncing on her back. I had a hard time getting that image out of my mind as I fell asleep, because I couldn't help further noticing how much like me Aurora was. I guess that only made me like her even more, and wish that I could help take care of her as much as Richard did.

But of course, I was more than happy to do so the next day, when Aurora was off from school as well. She talked Richard and me into playing games with her all day, like hide-and-seek, tag, and all sorts of imaginary games. Her lust for those games seemed insatiable, because she could always catch us, no matter how fast we ran from her.

The trees in the yard were blooming with fluffy leaves too, so Aurora was having a bit of an advantage in hide-and-seek. My eyes scanned every which way to find her, but Aurora was such a quick little thing that it was very difficult to catch her.

"GOTCHA!" a voice called, jumping out of nowhere.

I screamed and jumped around, as Aurora was standing in front of me, laughing so hard she was cradling her stomach in her arms.

"I really gotcha' good!" she said, continuing to laugh. A smile tore across my face, and we were both laughing at how I had screamed and jumped high up—like a little bunny rabbit, she said.

Her laughter was more musical than any song as she swung through the grass, because, if she caught me or Richard, she would pounce on us, making us roll through the grass like playful puppies. Especially if she caught Richard, he would hold her and hug her like they were brother and sister, rocking her back and forth in his arms to help cease her wild giggles. The sunlight smiled on both of them, as the wind toyed with the grass around them. Part of me wished that that could be me that Richard was cuddling, instead of Aurora, but I couldn't bring myself to want that so bad.

But then, as Richard was rolling through the grass blades with Aurora, something silver and round fell from his pocket. It clunked open when it hit the ground, and I was drawn towards it instantly. I picked it up from the ground, observing the marble detail of the compass face beneath the silver lid. Memories poured back to me like none other, and I had to sit down in light of the powerful images that stormed across my thoughts. And I wondered—I wondered if perhaps I were to put this compass back on top of a book, that it would have the same magic that it held for Richard, just as my golden pendant did for me…

I saw us both suddenly—Richard and me—and all the adventures we used to have together before everything happened to separate us. Of all the books we had journeyed through, surviving thick and thin, conquering obstacles that no one ever does in regular life…

"Hey, Chloe, you found the compass." Richard came up to me, took the compass's chain, and slid it out of my hands. "I didn't notice it had fallen out."

Aurora came up beside him, pointing at the compass. "You've never told me what that compass is all about, Rich," she said. "Do you like to use it to find treasures or unusual places, or something like that?"

"I did, once," Richard told her, giving me a wary eye. "But, not too much."

"Just…what?" Aurora pressed further. "It must be for something special, because it's so old-fashioned. Look—it's silver, it's big, and is made of very shiny marble inside. It has to be!"

"We'll show you someday," I piped up.

Both Richard and Aurora looked at me. Aurora's face lit up like the dawn, but Richard just looked surprised.

"We will?" he said.

"Sure," I replied. "Aurora, since you're so fond of imagination and stories, we'll show you what this compass can do."

Aurora glanced into the forest at that moment. Sun rained down between the trees, and their branches wavered in the breeze.

"Rich, Chloe, you think we could go into the forest first?" she asked us. "Now that the trees are green, it would be so much fun to explore them."

"Would Celeste be okay with that?" I wondered aloud.

"I think so," Aurora answered.

"So long as we're there to go with you," I added.

The three of us scaled the fence, fortunately without gaining scratches or bruises, and we took our first steps into the trees, with Aurora leading us ahead, her long, golden hair flying out as she ran further inside the forest.


	7. Buried Treasures

"I didn't know there was a creek here."

By this time, Richard, Aurora, and I were deep enough into the forest that Celeste's house was only a hidden picture in the trees. It was warm inside the woods, though there wasn't too much sunlight coming down between the branches. But now, much to Aurora's delight, we had found a creek cutting through the ground, and she was reaching down to touch the cool water. She traced shapes in the water with her finger, as Richard and I watched her.

Aurora then stood up and looked ahead of the creek, noticing in the meantime that there was a wide log crossing the water. "I wonder what's beyond this place," she wondered aloud. But she took a step back, and looked behind at us uncertainly.

"Go ahead, Aurora," Richard urged. "We're coming with you."

Aurora turned back ahead with newfound confidence, and started across the log. Her arms were spread out on either side of her, and her steps were small and precise. Then, taking a deep breath, I began to follow her, mimicking her motions; I guessed that the water wasn't very deep, but I wasn't about to take a swim in it. I could hear Richard's concentrated breaths behind me, and suddenly my own concentration wavered. My foot caught on part of the log, and I tumbled hand-first down into the grass, catching my palms on some sticks that stuck from the dirt. "Ouch!" I spat out on instinct.

A pair of brown shoes stomped onto the ground next to me, and before I knew it, I felt myself being lifted back to my feet.

"Thanks," I said, when Richard let go of my hands. I caught his eyes long enough to see him shrug, but then grin, right before he started after Aurora. And just as quickly, the pain in my hands was numbed, and my lips found a smile on my face.

But then, why couldn't I forget what had happened? I didn't want to, but it was all I could think of when I looked at Richard. I frowned; I didn't want to go on feeling like I couldn't look him in the face without wanting to run away.

I tagged along between the trees, just trying to keep my eye on Aurora. Everything here seemed the same on this side of the creek, but with every step, Aurora grew more and more excited.

"This forest is amazing!" she exclaimed, reaching onto a low tree branch and hoisting herself into the air. She looked like a happy little monkey, swinging from the branch. "It's like a little fairy tale forest you hear about in those stories." Then her face lit up. "Hey, Rich, Chloe, you think there is a fire-breathing dragon somewhere in these woods?"

I smiled sinisterly, causing Aurora to get an uneasy expression. "There could be," I answered. "They could be lingering in these trees as we speak."

Aurora laughed as she jumped down from the branch. She looked all around, as if scouting for something. And with a motion quicker than the way she slapped down cards, she picked up a stick, brandishing it like a sword. With one hand, she swept her hair back from her face, and took her stance with both feet wide apart. Then she turned around swiftly, gesturing for me and Richard to follow her.

There before her, stood an enormous cluster of trees that seemed to gather in a circle. But when she walked inside, looking around in all her rapture, she tripped and fell with a high yelp.

"Aurora!" Richard and I raced over to her, where she was still on her behind in the grass. "Are you okay?" I asked, helping her up.

"I think," Aurora answered as she clenched her teeth together. Tears brimmed at her eyes, and her face turned a bright shade of red as she looked at her knee, which was pink from her fall. Gently, I began to rub it, feeling the raw skin. Aurora winced and grunted, trying to hold back more tears.

"What happened?" Richard asked, looking around at where Aurora had fallen.

"I tripped on that," Aurora said, pointing at something sticking up out of the ground. It looked like a triangle of orange cardboard, about an inch thick.

Curious, I touched the cardboard. It felt rough, like sandpaper, and felt a little papery along the width.

So, I took a firm grip on it, and pulled. It must have been very far down, because it took a great amount of strength to pull it out another few inches—until it got stuck. Aurora, who had joined me, pulled back as far as she could, and suddenly went flying backwards when the object popped out of the ground.

"Good job, Aurora," Richard said. "Let's see what this is."

Aurora reached for the old, scratched object and picked it up to show us.

"A book?" she asked, looking it up and down.

Richard dusted off the dirty cover, revealing the title.

"_Of Mice and Men_," he read, his face lighting up slightly.

I had the same reaction. I remembered reading that book a long time ago. It had even been part of the secret adventures that Richard and I had when we were younger. Actually, I recalled every detail—how we had crossed into the Salinas Valley, and had met the farmhands that inhabited the setting. We'd barely escaped with our lives when a gunfight had begun, and yet I found I was fond of that venture.

Then, Richard handed me the book. "Chloe, do you remember this?" he whispered.

I raised one eyebrow in his direction. "If you're talking about what I think you are, then I do." Richard winked back at me.

"What are you guys talking about?" Aurora interrupted.

I held the book out to her, and she took it gently. "Aurora," I began, "do you think you would ever want to read this book?"

Once more she looked it over and under, even opening the cover to flip through the pages. Dust and sand fell from the binding, getting onto her sundress. But Aurora seemed too preoccupied to care if her clothes got dirty. And the further that she looked into the book, the bigger her eyes became, and the wider her mouth opened.

"Aurora?" Richard prompted her.

Finally, she closed the book. "Wow," she breathed. "I've never seen a book like this."

"I don't think any of us have," said Richard with a slow shake of his head.

Aurora zipped her eyes around the place where she had tripped. As she got up to move around, she clutched the copy of _Of Mice and Men_ close to her side. "I wonder if there are more of them around here," she said lowly. "And, if there are, I think we should keep them! We could read them together! The three of us!"

Richard and I looked at each other. Though it took me a second, I could tell what sorts of thoughts were whirring across his mind. A smile was starting to inch across his face, and from the corner of my eye, I could see his hand reaching towards his pocket, where I knew the compass was. Almost instinctively, my hand reached to my chest, and my heart jolted when I felt my pendant, though not from feeling it there. Adrenaline coursed through me, and a collection of memories and excitement banged me hard enough that I stopped breathing for a moment.

Judging from Aurora's tiny squeal of excitement, I knew Richard had consented to her request.

And then she squealed again, when something fluttered out from the book to the ground. She bent down and picked it up. It was just as weathered and dirty as it's book home, even tearing at the center crease. Squinting her eyes, Aurora unfolded the paper, and began to read:

"_To Whom It May Concern,_

_ Well, first of all, congratulations upon your discovery. You have uncovered a beautiful book with a classic story waiting inside for you to endure. But as these are the years where the magic of books has about been forgotten, I ask you to endure the adventures these stories will take you on. As my wife and I discovered, they allow us to do the impossible: slay a dragon, cast a magic spell, accomplish dreams, travel through time, and live a happily ever after. _

_ So, as of these books being very old, I ask you to please take care of them as though they were your own children and cherish them forever as I did. For I know they will bring you memories and journeys that you shall never forget."_

It was quiet after Aurora finished reading, except for the forest bending with the elements. All three of us were breathless in rapture to have made a discovery such as this. I mean, from what the note read, we were about to uncover some stories that probably hadn't been read from a real book since who knows when!

"There's no name?" Richard asked, craning his head to look at the script on the paper.

Aurora shook her head, speechless.

"Hmm," I said. "If I didn't know better, I would say that someone like Mr. Dewey would have pulled off this kind of stunt."

"Who?" asked Aurora.

"He was my grandfather," I explained. "He used to run the library where Richard and I grew up. He died three years ago, but he was the one who gave me my gold pendant, and the silver compass to Richard." I held out my pendant in my palm, and Aurora stroked it with her finger.

"But…why would someone bury books?" she pondered aloud, eyeing the book in her hand.

Richard picked up the note. "Beats me, Aurora," he answered. "But I still think leaving behind these books was a wise thing to do—so someone else could find them someday."

Aurora opened the book again, and she swept her hands across the pages to get rid of all the dust. "Do you guys know anything about this book?" Aurora wanted to know, holding it in front of me and Richard. "Is it actually about mice?"

"Well," I answered. "it's actually a story of two men in the 1930's, and how they try to accomplish their dream of finding a home through all their struggles."

Aurora's lips curled up again, but then, her eyes wandered from the book to the ground, where she raised a pointing finger. "What's that over there?"

Our gazes moved from her point to another corner of cardboard pointing up out of the ground.

Taking it in my hands, I pulled and pulled until it popped out of the dirt.

"_To Kill a Mockingbird_," Aurora read, dusting off the book slightly.

Richard opened the back cover and found yet another note tucked into the binding; also tearing. When he unfolded it, it said the very same thing that the first note had said.

Again, Aurora's eyes were widening as she gazed at the book for a long time. "I don't think I've heard of this one either," she said.

"Again, it's a classic book about the 1930's," I replied. "It's the story of a girl's childhood in the South during the days when black people were treated badly and when she learns some important lessons about life from her brother and her father."

Aurora gave me a weird look. "That doesn't sound as interesting as the other book," she said.

"It's just as good as the other one, in my opinion," I added. "Maybe someday if you read it, you will like it just as much as I did."

"Well, if what the note said is true, we all may have some real adventures together." Aurora put the book down, and started to pull at yet another cover sticking out of the dirt. And this time, Richard and I didn't wait to help her.


End file.
